Paths Crossed
by PlatinumMagic
Summary: Aria Keegan never thought her boring job would lead to anything interesting and yet here she is, faced with the most intriguing New Species male. Now if only she knew what to do with him.
1. Chapter 1

So I've gotten a few requests for something a little longer than my usual little NS snippets so here you go! The first chapter of new, longer story. I'm going to keep the male's identity a surprise for now. You'll just have to read the next chapter to see which handsome male our girl finds herself drawn to. ;) Hope you enjoy and please review!

* * *

 **Paths Crossed**

Aria Keegan sighed as she left through the staff door at the back of the hotel, digging for her keys in the bottom of her huge purse. Her feet and back ached from the twelve hour day she had pulled and all she wanted to do was go home and fall into her bed.

Her manager had called frantically just after one this afternoon and begged her to come in. Apparently three of the other staff members had copped out of their assigned shifts when they had found out what the grand event they would be serving was.

Aria had been a little hesitant herself when she learned that the gala being held at their hotel tonight was a fundraising effort put on by the New Species Organization. She hadn't known what to expect when she'd arrived but when she finally caught a glimpse of them five hours later she was surprised to see they were pretty normal. To be fair, she only saw them from a distance as she refreshed the water pitchers on a table.

The New Species that had showed up were all tall and built, many of them with long hair. Half of them were in suits and the others were in the NSO uniforms she'd seen a few times on the news. They didn't look all that different from anyone else as far as she could see.

As the party got underway, they had been swallowed by the well dressed crowd and she had become far too busy with her work. By the time she had a moment to breathe, the New Species were getting ready to depart and the gala was wrapping up.

The sound of a helicopter overhead caught her attention and Aria looked up, watching the little blinking lights that marked a chopper move across the midnight sky. She could only imagine how small the world looked from up there.

With a disgruntled sigh, she swung her purse in front of her and started to dig seriously for her keys as she circled around the hotel and onto the street. The hotel had overflow parking at the end of the block for large events like this and being staff she was relegated to that lot during events.

The summer night was cool and she hurried down the he sidewalk, cursing herself for leaving her light jacket in the car. She ignored the shiver that ran down her spine and dug deeper into her purse.

The giant tote bag was a bad idea. She had known it when she contemplated buying it. It was also the only bag she had found that fit her work shoes, uniform, lunch, tablet, random books and other girly necessities.

And so, when the figures in the alley moved forward, advancing on her, Aria had her head down in her search for her car keys.

A firm male arm wrapped around her shoulder, startling her and giving her a solid jerk toward the mouth of the alley she walked past. "Hey sweetheart. Why don't you come join us?"

Aria spluttered, thrown off by this man who had gotten into her personal space. She tried to yank herself away but that arm tightened, steering her into the dark alley.

Her heart pounded as the man pushed her forward until she stood before him, facing two more men. The three of them closed in, surrounding her, their menace palpable.

"W-what do you want?" Aria stuttered, a fine tremble taking over her body. Why hadn't she waited for one of the others to finish so they could walk together? Why hadn't she thought to take her mom's advice and keep some sort of protection in her purse?

One of the men, a dark haired man who looked a little younger than herself, stepped forward. "We just want a little company." He sneered, voice a little slurred.

She backed up and ran into the man behind her who snaked his arms around her. One hand caught her chin and cranked her head to the side painfully.

Lips descended over hers and she clamped her mouth close but the overwhelming smell of booze rolled off him. His tongue dragged wetly over her unyielding mouth and her stomach roiled in distaste.

The other two men laughed and Aria felt a hand grab her breast roughly. She struggled as the man trying to kiss her pulled back a bit. "Open up." He growled, lowering his mouth again as his fingers squeezed, pressing into her cheeks hard enough to part her jaw. His tongue invaded and she bit down until he howled in pain.

"Thu itch!" He cursed, words muffled behind his protective hand, pushing her away from him and into the arms of the other two.

She jostled in their holds, her purse slipping off her shoulder to get caught around her elbow. Hands caught at her dress shirt, pulling until a few of the buttons give way. A hand slips up her leg from knee to upper thigh, trying to go farther until she jerked herself away.

Aria's mouth opened, shock finally withdrawing enough that action was taking over. She drew in a big breath and belted out a scream that was cut off seconds after it started when a fist slammed into her stomach, doubling her over. Aria gasped but couldn't seem to draw air into her lungs. The ground she stared at seemed to move of it's own volition.

One of the men moved behind her, giving a wolf whistle before he slapped her rear hard and then ground his hips against her, hand fisted in the back of her button down uniform shirt.

The man she had bitten stepped forward and caught the base of her ponytail, yanking her head up. "You're going to regret that, honey. No one turns me down." He hissed angrily in her face, spittle flying. His palm impacted her cheek so abruptly it caught her off guard and she cried out, the taste of blood filling her mouth. Tears blinded her and she began to fight wildly, no rhyme or reason to her strikes. The man behind her lost his grip and she wrenched violently to the side, breaking free for an instant.

That was all it took.

Aria bolted, tired feet pounding back down the alley and out onto the sidewalk. The sound of jeering laughter and clamor of feet followed her, making her panic. When her purse slipped from her arm to fall to the pavement she didn't bother with it.

It would turn out to be a fatal mistake.

One of the big shoulder straps caught her foot causing her to tumble off balance and pitch into the street. The last thing she remember was a scream tearing from her mouth and the bright lights of an oncoming car.


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you guys for all the reviews, follows and loves! I so appreciate them! This chapter might not make it too clear who our lovely Aria will end up with but I like giving a girl options. :p Hope you enjoy and as always reviews are so appreciated!

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

Conversation in the SUV stopped abruptly when Shane cursed and slammed on the brakes, the tires screaming to stop on the dark pavement. The image of a woman in a white blouse and black skirt appeared starkly in the headlights only to disappear with a sickening thud.

Everything seemed to freeze for a second and then the vehicle doors were thrown open. Brass and Ascension made it around the front first, dropping to their knees beside the still female form. The other males crowded around, looking down at the woman in worry.

The woman moaned softly as Brass quickly checked her over for serious injuries. Finding nothing life threatening, Ascension leaned forward, helping Brass lay the woman out flat on the pavement illuminated by the SUV headlights.

The human woman lay still, dark hair straying across her face. Her clothing was disheveled and torn in ways that the impact with the vehicle didn't explain. When Ascension reached out and slowly stroked her hair back he revealed a split lip and a cheek reddened with a hand print.

Ascension growled, drawing Brass's attention.

When the male caught sight of the damage he growled as well. "Someone struck her."

Both males crouched over her fallen body, protective instincts raging, and scanned the vicinity. The others dispersed, circling the SUV to see if they could spot anything. Nothing seemed out of place. The streets were lined with parked cars and the buildings were mostly darkened store fronts. A few feet away a large shoulder bag lay on the ground, it's contents spilling out on the street.

"I don't see anything but I smell human males nearby." Ascension grumbled softly. "We need to get her out of here."

Brass nodded. "We should call an ambulance. I don't like the idea of us transporting her to the hospital ourselves. She may have internal injuries."

Ascension was about to argue when Zest yelled from behind the SUV. "A news fan just turned the corner and they are coming our way!"

"Shit!" Brass cursed, digging a hand into his long hair in frustration and mussing it from it's ponytail.

Ascension didn't wait for Brass to make up his mind. He slid his arms beneath the female and, with the help of Wager who steadied him, got to his feet. Without a word, he carried the woman around the vehicle and climbed into his seat in the middle row. He settled the small female as best as he could on his lap, letting her dark head rest against his shoulder as he held her tight.

The other males piled in and Brass came around, urging a shaken Shane into the passenger seat so he could drive. The doors slammed shut and the SUV was off, it's pace calm as if nothing had happened.

"We need to get her medical assistance." Brass said from the front seat, not taking his eyes off the road.

"Why don't we take her to Medical at Homeland? They could handle whatever she needs there." Ascension pointed out, staring down at the bruised beauty in his arms.

Brass ground his teeth together and was about to shoot the idea down when Wager spoke up from the back seat. "Do you really want to drop off a battered female to the hospital with a news van trailing us? It won't look good no matter how Justice tries to spin it."

Brass growled, defeated by such sound logic. "All right, let's head home."

Ascension wasn't sure why but the tightness that had been gathering in his chest since he'd seen this woman in the headlights, a look of horror on her face, loosened and he took a deep breath. The air that filled his lungs was full of the aroma of warm woman and the distinct scent of her blood.

XXX

Aria tried to blink and felt like someone had filled her eyes with sand. Dear lord what had happened to her. Her whole body ached.

Opting to keep her eyes closed she tried to bring her hand up but her shoulder throbbed in protest. She didn't bother to stifle the groan it caused. She felt like fate had run her over. Thinking back she couldn't remember why work had been so difficult. It had been like any other large party. Pandering to the tons of wealthy folks pretending they were better people because they had money was never too hard. Annoying but not difficult. It certainly didn't explain the pain she was feeling.

"Oh good, you're awake. How are you feeling?"

The voice was pleasant, deep and male, and didn't fit at all into where she thought she was. Struggling, she blinked open her eyes and winced. The room around her wasn't her own. Instead of her comfortable little apartment she was in a white room with a man staring down at her questioningly.

"Miss Keegan? Are you still in pain?" The man asked, coming closer to the side of the bed.

Aria blinked hard and forced out a mumble. "Where am I?"

The man smiled reassuringly at her from the side of the bed. "You're safe. From what I heard, you ran out in front of one of our SUVs and gave the males quite a scare."

Her brain paused to process and she thought hard before everything came back with startling clarity. Her body jack-knifed into a sitting position and she swayed at the change in her brain's equilibrium.

"Whoa. Not so fast." The man beside the bed quickly reached out, putting an arm behind her back and fiddled with something at the side of the bed. When he withdrew his arm the head of the bed had been tilted up so it supported her new position.

"Those assholes attacked me! They were waiting in that alley and when I past by they grabbed me." She said aloud as she processed the last things she remembered.

The man at her bedside growled softly. When he spoke his voice was rougher than it had been moments before. "What did they want from you?"

Aria shuddered. "Nothing good. One of them tried to kiss me and I bit him. I managed to get loose and I ran but..." She winced, her head aching as she tried to piece together what came next. "I don't know how I got away."

"From what the night nurse told me, you ran in front of one of our SUVs. Maybe as you tried to get away. Shane stopped the car but it gave you quite a jolt. Our team brought you here so we could tend to your injuries."

Aria looked down at herself and found bandages wrapped in different places around her arms. The blanket came to her waist and the medical gown came to her throat but she ached underneath them both. Frowning she met the man's eyes. "Am I okay?"

He nodded, leaf green eyes brightening. "You were pretty banged up but nothing serious. A bunch of scraps, bruises and a few cuts. Your ribs are probably bruised and you took quite the hit to the head but there's no sign of concussion. If you rest you'll be fine in no time."

A sigh of relief escaped her and she smiled at him. "Thanks for taking such good care of me."

With a stunning smile he patted the back of her hand where it rested on the blanket. "It's not a problem, Miss Keegan."

"Please, call me Aria. Miss Keegan is way to formal for me." She grinned at him.

"Okay, Aria it is. I'm Field."

She tilted her head in interest. "Field. That's nice but definitely an unusual name."

He grinned at her. "Thank you. I chose it when I was freed. I saw a movie with large open fields and couldn't imagine a more peaceful place to be.

"Chose?" She looked at him carefully and finally picked up on it. The pronounced cheekbones, flatter nose, full lips and the fangs that peeked at her when he smiled. "My god, you're New Species!"

Field's smile faltered and he nodded slowly, as if unsure how this news would be received. "Yes, I am. You're at the New Species Homeland."

Aria stared at him, stunned, for a full minute before a huge smile broke across her face. It tugged at her swollen lips and stung until she was sure she had split her lip again but she couldn't help it. "That is so cool!"

"It is?" Field asked hesitantly.

She nodded. "It really is. I'm very pro-Species." Suddenly she blushed and flustered. "Damn, this wasn't exactly how I wanted to meet one of you. I'm a mess."

Field laughed and grinned at her. "Considering it was one of our SUVs that did some of that damage, don't worry about it. We're the ones who look bad in this scenario."

She giggled and Field grinned back at her. Wow, she'd been almost run over / rescued by New Species. Who would have guessed such a bad night could have such an upside?


	3. Chapter 3

Hello again! Another chapter for you and I might start on the next one too. I'm supposed to be working on my original project for Camp NaNoWriMo but seeing as I've hit a writer's block I'm switching things up and chasing some NS plot bunnies instead! So what is bad for my novel is a benefit to you lovely people! Hope you enjoy the next part!

And for those who review, favourite and follow this story, your love is highly appreciated!

 **Chapter 3**

Ascension sat in Justice's office, listening to Brass give a full report of what had happened after their SUV had left the hotel. Beside him, Shane flinched and rubbed a hand wearily over his face at the mention of the woman being struck. Ascension didn't miss the mumbled curse that broke from the human.

Shane, who was normally rather jovial and steadfast, had been seriously shaken by the accident. The task force member hadn't been able to drive the rest of the way home his hands were shaking so badly and he kept turning in his seat to check with Ascension to make sure the fallen woman was all right. The busted knuckles on his right hand showed where he had repeatedly punched the wall in security after a team from medical had come for the woman.

It was evident to all the New Species that Shane was troubled, feeling shame and anger at himself. The human man smelled of sharp pain and despair, even though the accident was of no fault of his own.

Ascension wasn't sure what to say to the human, instead following him into Justice's office and sitting with him in solidarity. As Brass wrapped up his recounting of the nights events, Shane pushed himself up in his chair and took a deep breath, ready for anything.

Justice sighed and stood, coming around the desk to lean against the front, crossing his arms over his solid chest. "Well I'm glad you decided to bring the woman here to Homeland instead of taking her to a hospital. I can only imagine the field dayfun the press would have had with that." Justice sighed and shook his head. "That is a circus I am happy to avoid. On a good note, Doctor Harris sent us a report just before you got here to let us know the woman is doing well. A little banged up and she looks to have been in an altercation but she's doing fine."

The males all slid a glance Shane's way when the man seemed to collapse in relief. He leaned forward, head almost to his knees, and dug his fingers into his short brown hair. He held the pose for a moment before shooting up to give Justice a half smile. "Would you mind if I went over to see her? She scared the life out of me and I just want to see she's okay with my own eyes. Not sure I can sleep until I do."

Justice gave him a small smile and a nod. "Of course. I would do the same in your shoes."

"Thanks." Shane stood, turning to head out.

"I'll go with him. I'd like to make sure she is in good health." Ascension said, standing to follow. Both Justice and Brass gave him a surprised look but he walked out, ignoring them.

Shane was just exiting the building when Ascension caught up to him. Catching the man's attention he gestured at the golf cart parked at the curb. "I had Snow drop it off."

They climbed in and drove over to medical without a word shared between them. When they arrived Paul directed them down a hall toward the woman's room. Shane paused a few feet down the hallway and Ascension stopped beside him, curious what the human was thinking.

"Thank you for coming with me." Shane said quietly for Ascension's ears alone. The man didn't look at him, just eyed the door through which the female resided. "I was so terrified. I thought I'd killed her. God, I think that moment scared ten years off my life."

Ascension wasn't sure what to say. Honesty he could handle but giving comfort? It wasn't something he had a lot of experience with. He awkwardly put a hand on the human man's shoulder and gave a slight squeeze. "Let's go see her. You will feel better once you have."

Shane gave a nod and headed into the room, Ascension following.

Ascension stopped as soon as he crossed the threshold. His breath caught in his chest and his fingers twitched at his sides.

The woman was sitting up in the hospital bed, smiling and laughing with Field. Her smile was sweet and apologetic as Shane introduced himself and she brushed off his worry with the wave of one small hand.

For Ascension it was like watching the sun rise. He had held this woman - bloody, bruised and battered - in his arms hours ago. It had pained him to look down at her unconscious body. He hadn't known anything about her at the time. Now he wanted to know everything he could find out.

The soft brown hair that had been coming loose from a ponytail last time he'd seen her was now draped around her shoulders in a silken fall. Her brown eyes were bright even though one of them was surrounded by a dark smudge of bruising. Her lip was split and swollen but she smiled as Field gestured to Ascension and introduced him.

Ascension wished he could hear the words she was saying but all he could pay attention to was the sound of his heart pounding in his chest. He had taken in her scent last night and now that he could smell her again she made his mouth water.

He wanted to keep her safe.

He wanted to hold her.

He wanted to taste her.

He wanted to toss the other males out on their asses for daring to come near his female.

Oh shit. His female.

Ascension stared at the little brunette in the hospital bed and wondered what he was supposed to do now.


	4. Chapter 4

A little update for all you lovelies! Having heard about the new NS book coming I couldn't help but get into the groove again. As always thank you all for the reviews, faves and follows! They always make me want to write more! Hope you enjoy the new chapter!

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

Aria glanced over when a shadow darkened the open door to her hospital room. The tall, dark haired man stepped past the threshold and met her gaze cautiously. His hand came up to rub at his eyes as if they were tired of the scene before them and she could swear he mumbled something to himself.

Beside her bed, Field smiled and gestured at the new addition. "This is Shane. He is one of the task force members who was in the SUV tonight."

"Oh!" Aria turned and gave him an embarrassed smile. "Thank you for bringing me here. I can only imagine I gave you all quite a scare by running out in the street like that."

The tall man rubbed the back of his neck and glanced at the floor before giving her a shaky smile. "Yeah, you certainly did. I'm just glad you're all right. You are all right, aren't you?" His eyes flicked between her and the New Species nurse.

"She's doing just fine." Field said, giving her a fanged smile. "In fact, once we get the okay from one of the doctors, you should be all right to go home if you want. Although you'll need to take it easy for a few days."

"Thank god." Shane mumbled, looking heavenward briefly. He stepped forward, moving to the side of her bed. "I hate to admit it but you had me pretty freaked out. I'm just so glad to see you're okay."

Aria smiled at the poor man. He looked like he'd been beating himself up over the whole incident. She put a hand on his thick forearm and gave it a gentle squeeze. She opened her mouth to reassure him when a soft rumbling growl caught her notice.

She glanced back to the door to see another man standing there. His large body filled the doorway entirely, shoulders almost brushing the jam on either side. His hair hung to his shoulders in a mixture of chestnut and jet like nothing she had ever seen before. Steel grey eyes were narrowed at the scene before him and his full lips were drawn in a grimace, revealing fangs to give him a vicious look.

Aria's heart stuttered in her chest and she felt her hand grip Shane's arm reflexively.

The soft growl from the man in the doorway grew until it became a full snarl.

"Ascension?" Shane said, seemingly stunned at the spectacle. He reached out and put a hand on Aria's shoulder to calm her.

"Do not growl at the female, Ascension." Field demanded, coming around to stand between the end of Aria's bed and the doorway, blocking her view. "If you can't control yourself, leave."

The big male silenced his growl to utter a bitter curse before turning on his heel and storming down the hallway.

"What was that about? He was doing fine a few minutes ago." Shane questioned Field. "He's usually so even tempered."

Field turned back to the two humans and shrugged. "I have no idea. I've never seen him behave that way." The New Species nurse came up to the side of the bed again and patted Aria's knee through the soft blanket. "I apologize for that. I hope that won't alter your view of New Species. We are not generally violent. Ascension just seems to be grumpy today."

Aria smiled at the nurse. "Don't worry, I won't hold it against you."

XXX

Ascension growled as he slammed his first into the brick wall at the back of the men's dorm. He paced back and forth, pissed at himself. He couldn't believe he'd made such an ass of himself in front of the female!

Damn it all to hell! The adorable little female had turned to Shane for comfort because he couldn't keep his shit together. The sight of her touching the task force member had made his blood boil. It had taken everything in him not to stride over and rip Shane away from her.

He growled viciously and dug his hands into his hair to tug at the strands.

"Tough day?"

Ascension whirled around and glared at Slade who leaned casually against the wall. "What do you want?" His voice came out rougher than he'd meant it to.

"I was informed you had a slip of temper when you went to visit the female involved in the accident last night. Care to help me understand why you felt the need to growl at her?" Slade asked, quirking an eyebrow in an all too human gesture.

Ascension rubbed the back of his neck to ease the tension and flicked his eyes to the side, not wanting to reveal too much to his friend. "I wasn't growling at her."

"Oh?" Slade intoned, letting the silence stretch between them.

Ascension rubbed harder at his neck as he pictured the female's hand on Shane's arm. The growl that bubbled up in his chest surprised even him. He glanced at Slade who just stared at him patiently.

Ascension turned and started pacing again. He watched his feet eat up the ground as he strode to the edge of the building and turned to stride back. On the third trip he managed to stop with his back to Slade and stared up at the clear sky.

"She was touching Shane."

It was all he could get out. The only explanation. The image was eating him alive and he couldn't understand it.

"And you didn't like it?" Slade hazarded a guess.

Ascension shook his head. "I wanted to throw Shane across the room. I can't explain it. I just couldn't stand the idea of her touching another male."

Slade was silent for a moment, contemplating, before he walked up behind Ascension and put a reassuring hand on the male's big shoulder. "I do believe your in over your head, my friend."

"What do I do, Slade? I have never dealt with a human female before."

Slade smiled. "This is a topic I can offer a lot of advice on. Go to the female. Talk to her calmly. Try to keep the growling to a minimum. Explain you were just out of sorts."

"Do you think she will forgive me for scaring her?"

"Human females are more forgiving than you would think. Just be gentle with her." Slade assured. "Now, go see the female. I delayed the doctor from releasing her."

Ascension closed his eyes briefly and bowed his head. "Thank you."

"It was no problem." Slade shrugged the appreciation off. "I want to see you happy, Ascension."

Ascension sighed and figured that might be the case but he'd need all the luck he could gather to get her to give him another chance.


	5. Chapter 5

Here's another one for my lovelies! Hope you enjoy it! And as always thanks to all those who review, favourite or follow my work! Love you all!

* * *

Aria tugged the NSO t-shirt Field had given her over her head and stared down at the picture she presented. The large black shirt fell almost to her knees but Field had assured her it was the smallest size he could find. Guess that made sense given everyone she'd met here besides the small female doctor was built like a tank.

With a wistful look at her now not-so-white blouse she reached for the hem of the t-shirt and gathered it into a knot in the front. Satisfied, she pulled her mid-thigh length black skirt on and slipped into the pair of flip flops Field had left for her.

Apparently in the course of being mauled by drunks and hit by a car she had torn and bloodied her work shirt, lost a shoe and her purse had gone MIA Her purse was the only thing that really worried her. Field had said it had probably been left in the SUV that had picked her up in all the commotion and had left her to change while he called security to bring it over.

She stuffed her ruined dress shirt in the garbage can beside the nightstand and hopped up to sit on the bed. She reached for the remote, figuring she'd watch some television until Field returned with her purse.

"May I speak with you?"

Aria gasped and slapped a hand to her chest as if she could catch the heart that was suddenly striving to break from her rib cage. "Oh my god! Do you guys ever make noise when you move?"

The dark haired Species Field and Shane had referred to as Ascension stepped slowly past the threshold, looking hesitant. "I'm sorry I startled you. I was just hoping you'd let me speak to you for a moment."

Aria stared at him carefully for a moment trying to figure out why he had returned. He hadn't seemed to like her very much the last time she'd seen him so why was he back? Slowly she nodded. "All right, just leave the door open."

Ascension glanced at the open door and back at her before what looked like a wince crossed his sharp features. He gave her a brisk nod and stepped farther into the room. He approached the end of the bed cautiously and stopped when there was still about eight feet between them. He glanced around the room, seemingly looking for inspiration, and she let the silence continue, curious as to what he was going to say.

"I need to apologize for growling around you earlier. It was ... an accident."

Aria blinked. That was unexpected. For some reason this man didn't seem the type to offer apologies lightly. She was just opening her mouth to accept when he continued.

"I was angered because you had been hurt and seeing you sitting there with bruises on your face bothered me. Than the other males were touching you and I was worried that they wouldn't use the proper care with your injuries and ..." The big male sighed and ran a hand through his hair before meeting her eyes head on. "I reacted badly. I'm sorry."

"I accept your apology. I'm glad it wasn't me that caused you to be so angry." Aria couldn't help the smile that stretched her lips even when it tugged painfully at her injured mouth. "Perhaps we could both use a do over."

Ascension cocked his head to the side, reminding her of a puppy intent on understanding its human. "Do over?"

"Yep. We'll completely start over. Like this..." Aria stepped toward him, putting her hand out to shake his. "Hello, I'm Aria. Nice to meet you."

Ascension stared at her hand for a solid minute before gently taking her palm in his. His fingers were warm and the skin was rougher than normal but his grip was careful as they shook. "Hello. My name is Ascension." He glanced down at their clasped hands before giving her a curious look. "Are we done over now?"

Aria couldn't help the chuckle that escaped at his question. "Yeah, we're good."

Ascension let out a breath he seemed to have been holding and smiled shyly at her, his lips carefully sealed to cover his fangs. "Good."

Aria let go of his hand and stepped back, retreating to sit on the bed. Ascension was a big man and his presence was kind of overwhelming to her senses. "I actually wanted to thank you."

"Thank me for what?" Ascension asked, looking puzzled again.

"Field told me you were one of the ones who brought me here after the accident. I just wanted to thank you. I don't really remember much of what happened but I do know there were men in that alley that were chasing me when I ran out in the street. If you guys hadn't taken me with you who knows what would have happened."

Ascension stepped forward slowly, walking past her to sit in the armchair that sat in the corner of the room. "There was no way we could have left you behind. No Species male would ever have left you so undefended."

"Well thank you anyway." Aria responded quietly. She stared at her hands in her lap, unsure where to go with this conversation. Ascension sat across from her and she could feel his steel colored eyes roaming over her skin.

Seemingly decided on something, the big male sat forward, opening his mouth. "Would you..."

"Turn on the TV!" Field ordered, interrupting Ascension as he raced into the room. His hair was disheveled and his complexion appeared paler than normal.

Aria held up the remote and gestured to the television which was showing an old sitcom rerun. Field crossed the room in three long strides and took the remote she offered, flicking the channel to a news station. He turned up the volume and the three of them stared at the screen.

Aria blinked as a picture of herself flashed across the screen before the news anchor took over again. "Police have finally released the name of the woman in the video and have requested anyone with information on the whereabouts of Aria Dawn Keegan to call the number at the bottom of your screen." A telephone number flashed along the bottom of the screen as the news studio's image was replaced with one of a group of people gathered in the street among the dark of night. The video was shaky but it obviously showed a group of large men dressed in black surrounding the figure of still woman on the ground.

"Our sources say that the vehicle involved in the hit and run was one belonging to the New Species Organization but the NSO has so far refused to comment." The news anchor droned on, turning her feed over to someone else for their 'expert' opinion on the relation between the NSO and the hit and run kidnapping video.

"Oh my god..." Aria breathed slowly, stunned. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. The video looked pretty bad but they had it all wrong. How could the situation been so blown out of proportion like that?

And that video, the only ones close enough to catch that would have been her attackers. She tried to remember if one of them had had their camera phone out but her recollection was fuzzy at best.

For that matter, how did they get her name? She was suddenly getting a sinking feeling that her purse wasn't in the SUV that had taken her to Homeland.


	6. Chapter 6

Heya all! Thank you all for the lovely reviews, faves and follows! I'm trying to update quicker while I take a little break from my own story. :) I do however have a favour to ask all you lovelies! I'm looking to see if we ever find out what the younger Dr. Harris's name is. I've looked but I'm not seeing it in my books and I'm hoping one of you may have caught something I missed. I have a Dr Harris/Midnight snippet for Life Behind the Walls I'm contemplating and would love to get his first name. :p

Anyhow, thanks for all the love and I hope you enjoy! We're almost at the good stuff. ;)

* * *

Ascension couldn't hold back the growl that reverberated in his chest after watching the news report. At his sides, his hands curled into fists. "They think we took you?"

Aria grimaced at him and nodded. "One of those guys who attacked me must have sent the video into a news station. Although I'm guessing they edited out the part where they assaulted me."

"Justice is coming back from Reservation right now. He wants to meet with you so they can work out a way to head off the media." Field told Aria.

"Me?" Aria said, surprised. "Why does Justice North want to meet me?"

Ascension's eyes narrowed at the tone in her voice. Was she afraid to meet Justice? He looked her over again, taking in her diminutive stature and decided any large male was probably disconcerting for her.

"The NSO needs to know what happened and our officers only know part of the story." Field told her placatingly.

"Why can't I just go home? Obviously I've not been kidnapped if you just let me go home and continue on with life." Aria reasoned.

"It's not safe." Ascension grumbled. "Not only will the news crews follow you everywhere but there may be people who will have evil intent now that you have some connection to New Species."

Aria paled visibly and sat down on the edge of the bed. "So I can't go home?" She mumbled, her voice small.

"I'm sorry, Aria." Field replied, coming over to kneel beside her and put a hand over hers. "Justice will get the whole thing worked out as soon as he can and then you should be safe to go home."

"You'll stay here until it's safe for you to return. We have human housing. You can stay in one of our cottages until the issue with the media is dealt with." Ascension said swiftly, wanting to allay her fears almost as much as he wanted to remove Field's hand for touching her. "I'll make sure it's set up for you."

Aria looked up at him and he had to bite back a growl at the sight of her nibbling her bottom lip. Mmm... he wanted to feel her little teeth sink into his skin.

Field stood, patting her on the shoulder. "It'll be ok. I promise." He assured her, smiling down.

Ascension wanted to beat the male senseless with his own limbs but managed to speak past his violent desires. "I have a cart out front. I'll get you set up at one of the human houses. Let's go." Ascension headed for the door, breezing past Field before he did something he'd regret.

He could hear Aria hesitate before thanking Field for all his kindness and following him down the hallway with a quick flip-flip-flip of her sandals. She matched pace with him as he walked to the front door of the clinic.

Ascension reached out and pushed the glass door open, gesturing her through the way human politeness dictated. "We'll take my cart." He muttered, wondering where to take her. He should take her to the building that housed Justice's office but his heart rebelled at dragging her over there. She still looked pale and unsure and he wanted to fix that for her.

"Umm... I know I'm supposed to meet Mr. North soon but would it be possible to get something to eat? I missed my dinner break at work last night and haven't really been able to eat anything since." Aria asked, staring up at him as he led the way to a golf cart parked at the curb in front of the medical center.

"Field didn't feed you?" Ascension asked, contemplating going back and giving the male a lesson on taking care of a female.

"Well he was going to after I got changed but then things just kinda started happening and well..." She shrugged. "Here I am, still hungry."

Ascension nodded, a plan forming in his mind. "I could arrange to have food brought to the house you'll be given but it will take about an hour. If you'd like I can make you something at my apartment instead. It would be faster." His heart seemed to slow in his chest as the words left his mouth, everything in him awaiting her decision.

Aria stared up at him for a long moment as they came to a stop by the cart. With a shy smile she brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and gave a small nod. "Sure, that would be great. I don't think I can face Mr. North on an empty stomach."

Ascension smiled without showing fangs and gestured her into the cart. As he circled the vehicle to get in the other side he had to fight to keep the smile off his face.

In a few minutes he would have Aria Keegan alone in his apartment at the male dorms. His stomach fluttered with the knowledge that he would have to walk her past the other males who would undoubtedly be in the common rooms. He wasn't sure it was pride at showing her off to them or fear that one of them would draw her eye.

Regardless he meant to make an impression on the little female and if it meant he had to fight off a dozen males and put his best sandwich making skills to work to do it he would!


	7. Chapter 7

Hello again! I just wanted to say a quick thank you to all those who helped me figure out that young Dr. Harris truly hasn't been named yet. I'm going to see if I can get a name off Laurann (incase she has one for him already) and, failing that, I'm just gonna make one up. :p Thanks especially to editor4reel for throwing yourself on the alter of NS books to try to find his name in case I missed it! And to diane6652, if you haven't guessed yet, I got your hint. :p It might not be a full story but I'm writing a Dr Harris/Midnight snippet just for you. :)

As always, thank you all for the reviews, faves and follows! I hope you guys enjoy this one! I love the NS males, such fun to play with! ;) Enjoy the goodness!

* * *

Aria stared up at the big building that Ascension had stopped the cart in front of and got out to stand on the sidewalk. It was a behemoth of brick and glass about three stories tall and didn't look like the most welcoming place it the world. "So this is where you live?"

Ascension circled the vehicle and came to her side, nodding. "Yes, this is the male dorm. Homeland was originally designed to be a military base so a lot of the buildings have been changed to serve our uses. Come on." He led the way up the walk way and swiped a security card before holding the door open for her.

Aria smiled at him and was about to walk inside when he caught her arm in a soft grip. She looked down at his large hand circling her bicep and stared back up at him, startled.

"I just want to warn you there will be other males in here and they may be..." He glanced inside cautiously as if making sure they were not heard before finishing. "Interested in you. I will stay very close so you don't have to worry."

Aria lowered her voice and smiled. "I'm not worried. I've watched the documentaries and know New Species are not violent or anything."

Ascension's face blanked and he straightened before giving her an abrupt nod. "Okay, just stay close to me." He gestured her forward and then led her through the halls.

Aria stared around in amazement as she followed a step behind her big New Species host. The hallway opened up to a large common room lined with windows. On one side was an open concept kitchen with an island and a breakfast bar. On the other, a big screen TV was mounted on the wall and surrounded by large plush sofas and chairs.

As the two of them entered five sets of eyes turned to stare at them intensely.

Aria's steps stuttered and she shied into Ascension's side. Looking around she met their audience's eyes and spoke softly. "Um...hello."

"Hello female!" One gorgeous male grinned at her, coming around the counter with a can of orange soda in his hand. "Who is this, Ascension?"

"Her name is Aria and she is none of your business, Flirt." Ascension replied harshly, a growl edging into his voice.

Sword and Query snickered at that from their place on the sofa as Jinx and Snow got up to come over.

Jinx sniffed loudly as he leaned slightly toward her. "She smells like you and Field. Whose is she?" He questioned Ascension.

Ascension snaked an arm around her shoulders and hauled her into his side. "She is here with me."

"That doesn't really answer the question." Jinx pointed out.

"Hello female. I'm glad to see you're feeling better." Snow said to her, the big male with the white blond hair towering above her. "You had us worried when you ran in front of the SUV."

"Uh, yeah, I'm sorry I worried you all." Aria said softly, feeling kind of overwhelmed. These guys were not only tall but every one of them was broad and muscled. She was starting to feel like she was trapped in one of those hunks calendars and she really wasn't sure how much more attention she could take. To make matters worse, Ascension's body heat seeped into her side and the weight of his arm around her was both stabilizing and exciting.

"I am taking her to my room." Ascension said, trying to edge her away from the other males.

Snow's eyes narrowed at Ascension. "Are you sure that is a good idea? She was injured not long ago and might not be well enough for sex."

Ascension growled and the tension in the room ratcheted up. "I am not taking her there to share sex. She needs to eat."

"She can eat here!" Flirt offered, flashing her a charming smile. "I am a very good cook."

Aria felt the heat rise in her cheeks and looked down at her sandals. "Uh, thanks for the offer..."

"I will feed her." Ascension reiterated, chest vibrating with a growl.

"Getting a little possessive, Ascension?" Query teased, chuckling.

Ascension just growled louder.

"Go feed her." Snow sighed, giving in, but not before he looked down at Aria and added. "We'll be down here if you need us."

Ascension tightened his hold on her and turned her toward the elevator, leaving the other males talking excitedly behind them. His hold only loosened once they elevator doors closed behind them. Silence filled the small space.

"I apologize for that. We don't get a lot of human females here." Ascension finally breathed out.

"That's fine." Aria smiled up at him. "Are all you guys so big? I'm starting to feel like a midget."

"Yes. Mercile made us strong enough to withstand the testing they put us through." Ascension answered bluntly. The elevator stopped and they stepped out into a hall. He led her four doors to the right and swiped his security card again before pushing open the door. "This is my apartment."

Aria stepped inside and looked around curiously, dying to see what his space was like.

A small galley kitchen was off to the left with a half wall that divided it from the living room which was a smattering of leather sofas, metal and glass coffee tables and book shelves filled to overflowing. As she stepped farther in, she caught sight of his bedroom through a door, eyeing a huge bed covered in navy sheets that were still rumpled from being slept in.

Ascension shut the door and walked into the kitchen. "What do you feel like?"

Aria's head whipped around, staring at his broad back as he looked through the fridge. She had just been thinking of how much she'd like to curl up in that big bed and how she wanted him to join her and his question was just too well timed. "Uh... a sandwich or something would be great."

"I have black forest ham, turkey and cheese. Or I can make peanut butter and jam if you'd prefer?" Ascension asked, pulling things out onto the counter.

Aria smiled and walked over to stand at the end of the counter by him. Her stomach rumbled as she caught sight of the food and she giggled. "Ham and cheese would be awesome. Thank you so much!"

Ascension's lips twitched at her stomach's demands for food. "My pleasure."

Aria grinned up that big New Species male and wanted to hug him. Every time he smiled her heart skipped a beat and she had a desire to see him smile more and really wanted to be the cause of it. Now if she could just get him to laugh she might just pass out from the bliss.


	8. Chapter 8

Alright things are finally warming up here! Unfortunately I've been having a ton of computer trouble but I am still working on this. Word to the wise, avoid Adaware Antivirus! It killed my ability to connect to wifi. *sniff* Well enough moping, here's a little more Ascension/Aria and I have a secret to share. They are _this_ close to their first kiss! Shhhh! :p

Well enjoy and more to come soon!

* * *

Ascension tried to keep his eyes on the sandwiches he was making instead of watching Aria look wonderingly around his apartment. She had stood watching him for a moment before turning to wander around his apartment. He slathered mustard and mayo on bread while he stole glances at her.

Aria had stopped in front of one of his bookshelves and was snooping at the multitude of titles. Something in Ascension's chest filled with warmth at having her in his private space. He wanted her to sit on his furniture, to touch his books, to watch his television. He wanted her to use his towels, eat the food he cooked and leave her scent on his sheets. He felt a growl of arousal rising in his chest as his erection started to rise at the image of her spread out on his bed.

"You have quite the collection here. _Black Beauty, A Brief History of Time, Casino Royale, In a Sunburned Country_." She piped up, reading titles with her head tilted to the side.

Ascension gave himself a mental shake and looked away from her enchanting image. He glanced down to see he had spread mustard on two pieces of bread as well as his left hand in his preoccupation. He felt his cheeks heat and hoped she hadn't noticed as he quickly washed it off. "I like to read."

"I can see that." She said, smiling over at him. "You have a lot of travel books."

"I like to learn about the world." Ascension replied, finishing the sandwiches and placing them on plates. He dug in a cupboard for a bag of plain chips and put a handful on each plate. "It's not safe in the out world for New Species so I can only read about the places I see in movies and on television."

Aria's face fell and she gave him a sad look before coming back over to him. "That's not fair. You guys should be able to go anywhere you like. It's not right that a bunch of prejudiced butt heads can keep you from doing what you want."

Ascension shrugged, not pleased with the situation himself. "There isn't much we can do about it right now. Hopefully in time they get bored and go away." He sat her sandwich in front of her where she stood at the counter and frowned at it, feeling like something was missing.

Aria stared down at her sandwich and back up at him. "What? Did you give me the wrong one? We can trade, I don't mind."

Ascension shook his head no. "It's not that. You should be eating something from each of the four food groups." His face lightened and he turned to the fridge to withdraw a carton of milk. Pulling glasses down he filled them both one and slide it across the countertop to her. "There. Dairy." He announced proudly.

Aria gave a little snort of laughter as she gathered her sandwich in her hands. "You do realize cheese counts as dairy, right?"

"Yes but you are small and recently injured. You need more of it."

"I see." Aria replied, giving him a bright smile. She took a bite of her ham and cheese sandwich and issued a moan of pleasure. "Oh my god, that is so good!" She groaned, eyes closing in bliss.

Ascension's erection, which he had admirably kept under control until this point, suddenly made a bid for freedom. It pressed painfully against the zipper of uniform pants and he was strangely glad to have the counter between them. The sound of her moan was probably going to haunt him forever. The fact that he had caused it, even in such a roundabout way as making her a meal, made him want to groan.

Needing to derail this train of thought before he swept her up into his arms and spread her across the counter so he could feast on something much tastier than his suddenly bland sandwich, he asked her the first question that came to mind. "Do you read?"

Aria nodded, swallowing before answering him. "I love to read. I'm rarely without a good book."

Ascension smiled, trying to keep his lust off his face. "What do you like to read?"

A pretty pink blush winged across Aria's cheeks and she ducked her head slightly, hiding her eyes. "A lot of fantasy and scifi and uh... romance."

Ascension couldn't figure out why she was suddenly shy talking about her favourite books so continued. "I like scifi but fantasy is hard for me to imagine. I tried to read one and kept having to look up the creatures the book mentioned on the internet to figure out what they were. I'd much rather read romance than fantasy. At least those make sense." He thought briefly of some of the male's in the books he'd read and their sometimes foolish decisions. "Well, they make sense most of the time."

Aria stared up at him in amazement. "You read romance novels?"

"Yes. They've helped me figure out the way human relationships work." He took a bite of his sandwich and considered. "And they have taught me what human females find desirable in a mate."

Aria's eyes widen and she looked both mischievous and intrigued. "Oh? Do tell! What do we find desirable?"

Ascension sat his sandwich on his plate and took a swig of milk before answering. "I have learned that human females like strong males, ones capable of protecting them even if they don't want to admit they need protecting. The book females sometimes have to deal with hardships and they want a male to value them for going through that. They also enjoy sex immensely and a surprising amount of human females are virgins." He thought for a second more before adding. "And human females like to see males in leather pants."

Aria was staring at him with a look of fascinated amusement. "Virgins with a taste for leather pants, huh?" She asked, trying hard not to break into hysterical giggles.

Ascension nodded, popping a chip in his mouth. "And bondage. Virgins like leather pants and bondage."

"Bondage..." Aria squeaked, trying to swallow her milk around a laugh.

"Yes. Evidently they like to be held down and taken by their mates. At first I didn't understand this practice but I admit I have begun to see the appeal." Ascension informed her flatly. He looked her over and wondered allowed. "Do you enjoy bondage?"

He was starting to hope she did. He had the mental image of interlacing his fingers with hers and holding them to the bed while he kissed his way from her lips to her breasts and farther. Oh yes, suddenly both he and his cock were eager to find out if Aria liked the idea of bondage.

If she didn't, well he wasn't sure where he was going to locate leather pants.


	9. Chapter 9

Yay! Finally got my computer back to working order! Thank god for that! In celebration I bring you another chapter of PC and I wish to pose a question. Do we know the names of any other wild zone residence besides Leo & Valiant? I have a great idea for another story and just need the perfect male for it. I'm thinking maybe Torrent but I always love to hear your ideas. Anyhow enjoy my lovelies and remember reviews, faves and follows are food for writers and greatly appreciated! Thanks a bunch!

* * *

Aria's humor fled as she frantically tried to think of a good answer. No one had ever come out and so frankly asked her about her sexual habits before. To be fair, she wasn't even sure of her feelings on the matter. She'd never tried bondage before and although it seemed tantalizing in the books she'd read, who knew if she would actually enjoy it. With a steadying breath she opted to go for honesty and the same frankness Ascension displayed. "I don't know. I've read about it but never tried it myself."

Ascension tilted his head, considering her carefully. "Would you?"

"Um..." Aria looked down at her plate and played with a chip crumb. "Probably. If I trusted the person I was doing it with." She popped her last chip in her mouth and waited for his response.

Silence stretched until Aria couldn't take it anymore. With a quick swig she finished her milk, happy to have her stomach satisfied, and turned to take her dishes to the sink. He probably thought her weird or kinky for even contemplating being bound during sex but when he had mentioned it her mind had blasted her with an image of Ascension in his imposing NSO uniform with a pair of handcuffs in his hand and an inviting smile on his full lips. Her hormones had sat up like attentive puppies to that imaginary barrage and she'd suddenly realized she wouldn't mind a little bondage with him.

She had almost made it past him when a strong hand gripped her shoulder and spun her around. Ascension stepped into her, forcing her to step back until the counter edge ran into her back. Aria pushed back from the thick chest that pressed against hers, leaning back as far as she could to try to look Ascension in the face.

Ascension loomed over her, his face hard and expressionless. His steely eyes searched her face even as he leaned down and took in her scent. His hand left her shoulder, trailing gentle fingers along the length of her arm until he grasped the plate in her hand and tugged it free. He dropped it casually in the sink, the clatter startling her, before he lowered his gaze to meet hers straight on.

Aria opened her mouth, wanting to ask what the hell was going on but he started before she could.

"I can smell you." Ascension told her, his voice low and dangerous. His eyes closed briefly as he inhaled deeply again and emitted a soft growl.

"S-smell me?" Aria stuttered, her heart pounding wildly in her chest. She was stunned, unable to make sense of his words and actions.

Ascension growled softly and his eyes fired like the glint of a knife. His head tipped, nuzzling his nose through her hair until he could drag it up the length of her neck, breathing deep. "You smell so good. Warm female, sweet blood and wet arousal. It makes my mouth water."

Aria stopped breathing. She got caught on the fact that he could smell her blood only long enough for the fact that he could smell her arousal to sink in. Oh god, he knew! He knew that the mere thought of him made her want to squirm. She felt suddenly lightheaded, grasping his arms above the elbows to keep herself steady.

"Is that sweet wetness for me, Aria?" Ascension asked, voice so low it was practically a purr. The sound went straight down her spine, making her shiver.

"Ascension..." Aria tried to protest but her voice came out breathy and resembled a lusty sigh.

He pulled back to look her in the eyes, moving one of his trapping hands so he could tilt her chin up so she couldn't look away. "Please, Aria, tell me. Be honest. I want to touch you. Your smell is driving me crazy but I don't want to do anything you don't want."

Aria closed her eyes, weighing her options. She could say no and she knew he would let her go. He would back off, possibly even deliver her to the males downstairs to look after. She knew she could say no and take the easy route, ignoring the spark between them and the problems that either sex or a developing relationship between them could cause.

Her heart just wouldn't let her.

"I don't know, Ascension." She told him, trying to give him the honesty he had asked for. "I am attracted to you but I'm not the type to jump into things. Not to mention we hardly know each other."

"We could get to know each other." He reasoned smartly.

Aria couldn't help the wry smile that tugged at her lips. She had to give him that. "We could..."

"So we'll get to know each other before you make a decision." Ascension concluded. His own lips were starting to curl into a wicked grin and his eyes were bright with anticipation.

"Okay." Aria agreed, feeling kind of breathless. For some reason, deciding to get to know Ascension seemed like a much bigger deal than dating any other man. She wasn't sure where this decision would lead but she had to admit to herself she was excited at the idea of finding out more about him.

"Good." Ascension smiled at her and his hands dropped to her waist. He smirked at her gasp as he lifted her easily and popped her butt up on the counter. "I want to get to know your lips first."

As his big hard body pressed close Aria was so stunned she couldn't speak. His hands caught her wrists, circling them and pulling them until they rested on his hips. Then he trailed up her arms and neck to bury his strong hands in her hair. His head came down until his breath ghosted over her lips. He held her face tilted up to his and smiled down at her. "Open your mouth, Aria. I need a taste of you."

She moaned and her eyes drifted closed as his lips met hers in a sweet sensual kiss. She couldn't deny him anything at this moment. His tongue swept across her lower lip and touched the tip of her own. Her hands clenched on the belt that circled his hips and she pulled him even closer.

Ascension growled softly into her mouth and he held her tight to his strong body, his hips nestling into the vee of her thighs. His mouth devoured hers, taking every ounce of passion and every mewling whimper into himself. Dear god, she could kiss this man forever! Even as she thought it he released her mouth and gasped in air, panting with desire.

His hot mouth left nibbling kisses down her jaw, neck and across her shoulder where he tested her flesh with his canines lightly. The slight pain made her whimper and the feel of his wet tongue easing it made her squirm in his hold.

Ascension groaned and breathed deep before he spoke. "Aria... I -"

A knock at the door cut him off and they both glanced toward the door. A muffled male voice could be heard on the other side. "Ascension? Answer the door! Justice is looking for the little female." More knocking ensued.

Ascension growled at the interruption and Aria couldn't help the giggle that burst forth. She couldn't blame him, she really didn't want to go meet with Justice right now, but it was probably better they'd been interrupted before things went a little too far.

"I suppose you should answer that." Aria said, smiling up at him.

Ascension looked down at her and gave her a tight nod. "Unfortunately, yes." He grasped her hips and slid her off the counter top, not letting go until he was certain she was steady on her feet. He leaned down to give her one last kiss before her turned away and stalked toward the door, a snarl tearing through him.

Aria leaned around the side of the fridge to watch him storm away and couldn't help but admire his butt as he did so. It might be moving a bit fast but she was sure the next thing she wanted to know about Ascension was what he looked like out of the uniform.


End file.
